Rilles, ridges, and domes—Clues to maria history
1965; Elsevier BV; Volume: 4; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/0019-1035(65)90041-2
ISSN1090-2643
Autores Tópico(s)Astro and Planetary Science
ResumoThe lunar rilles, maria ridges, and maria domes are spacially associated with low areas of the lunar surface,the maria, and immediately adjacent terrae. The spacial association implies a genetic relationship. The morphology and structural setting of most of the rilles suggests that they are tectonic features of tensional origin produced by downward bending of maria borders during a stage of maria foundering. The domes and ridges were most likely produced by small central eruptions or by laccolithic intrusions. Most of the ridges appear to be volcanic structures which grew above dike feeders during the last stages of maria filling. Age relationships and structural settings of the rilles and ridges further suggest that the formation of these features took place in sequence, ridges and domes followed by rilles. It is suggested here that this sequence of events occurred repeatedly during a long history of maria growth and that the maria grew to their present sizes by successive stages of volcanic inundation and collapse. Circular maria probably resulted from a simple enlargement of initially circular depressions whereas the irregularly shaped maria resulted from a coalescence of two or more growing basins or depressions.
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